We have been given permission to reprint here the content of OrganicConsumer.org’s newsletter, chock full of news that affects the organic community.
ORGANIC BYTES #138
Health, Justice and Sustainability News Tidbits with an Edge!
Written and edited by Craig Minowa and Ronnie Cummins
BREAKING NEWS OF THE WEEK:
TWENTY-NINE NATIONS CUT-OFF FOOD EXPORTS
While U.S. consumers struggle to cope with steadily rising food and energy costs, a billion rural farmers and low-income families are suffering from what can only be described as a global food crisis. The New York Times reported last week that at least 29 countries have sharply curbed or completely cut-off grain exports to make sure their own populations have enough to eat. According to the article, “When it comes to rice, India, Vietnam, China and 11 other countries have limited or banned exports. Fifteen countries, including Pakistan and Bolivia, have capped or halted wheat exports. More than a dozen have limited corn exports.”
Learn more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_13260.cfm
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GNA VIDEO ALERT OF THE WEEK:
Watch this inspiring message from Ronnie Cummins, director of the Organic Consumers Association, along with an amazing song by progressive hip-hop artist Head-Roc and great images from the “real food” movement. In the video, Ronnie talks about the Grassroots Netroots Alliance, a project the Organic Consumers Fund created to survey every local, state and federal politician on their position on organic food and farming and what they’re going to do to support safe, affordable, and sustainable food systems. As food grows less safe and more expensive, we can’t continue to let candidates side-step this important issue. The current crisis requires that candidates address all of the interconnected life-and-death issues that face us from food, jobs, housing, health and energy to climate change and war.
Watch: http://capwiz.com/grassrootsnetroots/issues/alert/?alertid=11585936&type=ML
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ALERT: OCA LAUNCHES KELLOGG’S BOYCOTT
GENETICALLY ENGINEERED SUGAR TO HIT SUPERMARKET SHELVES THIS YEAR
The Organic Consumers Association’s (OCA) and allies are calling for a boycott of all Kellogg’s products after Kellogg’s refuses to source only GE-Free Sugar. Monsanto’s RoundUp Ready Genetically Engineered Sugar is due to hit stores this year, exposing millions of consumers to untested and unlabeled “Franken Foods” that threaten human heath, the environment and farmers’ rights everywhere.
Take Action-Join the Boycott!
Sign OCA’s Petition to Kellogg’s
Make a Free Call to Kellogg’s and let them know how you feel
Send a Letter to the Editor of you Local Newspapers about the Boycott
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POLITICAL PLUNDER OF THE WEEK:
WHITE HOUSE LIES TO THE WORLD ABOUT BIOFUELS
A new report from the International Monetary Fund estimates that biofuels are responsible for as much as 30% of the global food shortage. Despite this fact, at the United Nation’s emergency food summit in Rome, USDA Secretary of Agriculture, Edward Schafer, defended the U.S. government’s decision to spend billions of dollars subsidizing corn and soybean-based ethanol and biofuel, falsely claiming that biofuels contributed only 2% to 3% of the overall increase in global food prices over the past year. According to USDA spokesman, Jim Brownlee, Mr. Schafer was unaware that his statistics were off by nearly 90%.
Take Action: Sign OCA’s Biofuel Moratorium Petition:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_9980.cfm
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
ORGANIC FARMING CAN FEED THE WORLD
“The $1.2 billion the World Bank says will solve the food crisis in Africa is a $1.2 billion subsidy to the chemical industry. Countries are made dependent on chemical fertilizers when their prices have tripled in the last year due to rising oil prices. I say to governments: spend a quarter of that on organic farming and you’ve solved your problems.”
Vandana Shiva, an Indian physics professor and Organic Consumers Association Advisory board Member, speaking in Italy in response to the the U.N. food summit in Rome last month, where the World Bank pledged $1.2 billion in grants to help with the food crisis, most of which is earmarked for chemical fertilizers, pesticides and genetically modified (GM) crops.
Source: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_13332.cfm
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SYNGENTA CONFESSES:
GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS CANNOT FEED THE WORLD
In a revealing interview with the Guardian UK last week, Martin Taylor, the chairman of one of the world’s leading sellers and promoters of seeds for GM crops, Syngenta, admitted that biotech foods cannot feed the world. Taylor told the Guardian, “GM won’t solve the food crisis, at least not in the short term.” This is in stark contrast to the biotech industry’s ongoing propaganda that the world must embrace genetically engineered crops in order to feed the world’s growing population. Although Syngenta and other biotech giants like Monsanto regularly also claim that GM crops are environmentally sustainable, Syngenta’s chairman confessed the biotech industry’s real focus is on lucrative crops and high-priced seeds and pesticides with “hardly any environmental benefits”.
Learn more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_13337.cfm
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RELATED STUDY OF THE WEEK
“Assessment of the GM technology lags behind its development, information is anecdotal and contradictory, and uncertainty about possible benefits and damage is unavoidable.”
Source: A report released earlier this year from the United Nations World Food Program. The study was funded by the biotech industry and 60 nations, including the U.S., and clearly admits that genetically modified crops are not the solution to the food crisis. Upon finding out the results, the US, UK, Australia and Canada refused to endorse the international study. The study also warns that biofuels and climate change are leading causes of the global food crisis.
Read study here: http://www.agassessment.org/
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SUSTAINABILITY NEWS OF THE WEEK:
POSITIVE SOLUTIONS– FROM PANIC TO ORGANIC
While consumers struggle to fuel their cars and put food on the table, oil companies (like ExxonMobil, BP and ConocoPhillips) and seed companies (like Monsanto, Cargill and ADM) are raking in record profits. In a fiery essay posted on the Common Dreams website and circulated widely on the internet, The Organic Consumers Association’s National Director, Ronnie Cummins, shows how the food, climate and energy crisis are connected and how the time for positive change is now:
“Fortunately, there are hopeful signs that we can move beyond crisis to positive solutions. Connecting the dots in our food-climate-energy crisis, millions of green consumers are voting with their dollars for foods and products that are healthy, locally produced, energy efficient, and eco-friendly. A growing number of politicians, mainly at local and state levels, are also waking up. Organic food and farmers markets are booming. Chemical-free lawns and gardens, green buildings, solar panels, wind generators, “buy local” networks, and bike paths are sprouting. A critical mass of organic-minded Americans are waking up to the fact that we must green the economy, drastically reduce petroleum use and greenhouse gas pollution, re-stabilize the climate, and heal ourselves, before it’s too late.”
Read the full essay here: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_12893.cfm
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DONATE HERE!
HELP OCA FIGHT FOR HEALTH, JUSTICE, & THE ENVIRONMENT
Support OCA with your stimulus check.
During a recession, nonprofits need private donor help more than ever.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/donations.htm
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TIP OF THE WEEK:
HOW TO AFFORD ORGANIC FOOD ON A TIGHT BUDGET
With increasing food costs and the worst economy in 40 years, many shoppers are questioning whether they can afford to purchase organic foods. One of the quickest ways to reduce your organic grocery costs by as much as 15-20% is to buy in bulk. This doesn’t only mean being limited to buying food from bulk bins at your natural food store (although that is an equally effective way to reduce packaging and costs on foods like cereals). Many people don’t realize that most grocery and natural food stores welcome customers to special order cases of food in bulk. It’s the same premise as buying a 12-pack of soda or juice instead of just buying an individual can. When you think about it, most of the time you grocery shop, you are buying the same foods, so why not make a list of those foods, buy them by the case, save money and reduce your visits to the store? For example, a case of 12 cans of your family’s favorite soup typically costs 20% less than what it would cost you to buy those cans individually. Make a list of your favorite foods and go to the information desk next time you are at your grocery store to find out which ones you can buy in bulk.
Learn more organic money saving tips here:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_13331.cfm
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WEB VIDEO OF THE WEEK:
THE END OF SUBURBIA
A fascinating 52 minute documentary on the rise and fall of suburbia. In order to successfully transition through the global food crisis, climate change and peak oil, the new suburbia must reinvent the “mom and pop” localized economy.
Watch: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_13347.cfm
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TOP OCA NEWS HEADLINES OF THE WEEK
Tired of drowning in endless news headlines? Let the OCA wade through the media quagmire for you and sift out the most important stories. The OCA website has 20 or more news articles posted each day, which are related to health, justice, food and farming, politics, and the environment. With over thirty thousand visitors per day,OrganicConsumers.org is a valuable resource for consumers, activists, and journalists. Please Bookmark OrganicConsumers.org as your daily source of news, analysis and inspiration. Below are 5 of the top stories posted to the OCA website this last week:
1. U.S. Finally Issues Health Warning over Mercury Fllings
2. How ‘Mad Cow’ Prions Pose a Threat to All Non-Organic Food Consumers Including Vegetarians
3. Policymakers Cave Into Lobbyists Over Massive Bee Deaths
4. Whole Towns Going Fair Trade
5. Industrial Farm Animals Consume 17 Percent of Wild-Caught Fish
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SIGN-UP FOR OCA’S ACTION ALERTS
As you know, Organic Bytes is sent to its subscribers twice per month. But oftentimes, there are alerts that need to have immediate response and simply can’t wait for the next issue of Organic Bytes. The OCA is inviting you to sign up for our action alert email list. If you subscribe, these alerts will be sent to you on an “as needed” basis. Some weeks you may get none at all, and some weeks you may receive 2 or 3, depending on the urgency of the alert. Sign up for OCA’s action alerts here:
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/signUp.jsp?key=3457
Last week’s Organic Bytes featured an 
This short 7 minute video will give you a brief overview of USDA’s Big Brother National Animal Identification System and why it should be stopped.
Although more than 70% of the non-organic food in American supermarkets contains genetically engineered ingredients, massive opposition to GMO crops in Europe has basically kept them off the market (except for imported animal feed). According to the majority the EU, biotech crops pose unacceptable risks to human health and the environment– despite industry, U.S. Government, and many trade officials’ insistence that they are perfectly safe. This week, France’s Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo announced that his country, along with several other European nations, would be renewing its ban on all genetically engineered (GE) crops, including Monsanto’s GE corn (MON 810), which is the only biotech crop allowed for human consumption in the EU. According to Borloo, “The basis of the safeguard clause, which tackles open-field cultivation of the Monsanto 810 maize, is on risks considered as severe for the environment…”
According to a recent (December 2008) global summary report from the Worldwatch Institute:1) The U.S. leads the world, by far, in genetically engineered crop production and consumption.
Moving way beyond OCA’s ongoing campaign to press the Obama Administration and industry to drop “business as usual” and green the economy–before it’s too late–Orlov reminds us, with brilliant historical analysis and humor, that it probably is too late, and we’d better start comparing “best practices” for collapsing societies, to guarantee our collective survival in the coming catastrophic times.
1) 
